Hearing loss, according to the Palo Alto Medical Foundation, affects two in every 100 children under the age of 18. While heredity often plays a large role in pediatric hearing loss, there are other factors that can also lead to hearing impairment...
Depressants are a class of drugs that are often prescribed to reduce the symptoms of conditions such as anxiety. However, they have side effects, are addictive and can be abused.
Numbness is defined as a loss of feeling or sensation anywhere in your in body, but it most commonly occurs in your arms, legs, hands or feet. Numbness may be accompanied by tingling. A feeling of numbness can develop from a neck or back injury,...
Sleep is essential to help your body function properly. Not getting enough sleep does more than lead to daytime drowsiness: It can bring on serious health problems. If you are not sleeping, the first step is to figure out what the cause is, and...
Alcoholism can be a dangerous condition. Not only is the physical health of the person compromised, but alcoholism can lead to problems with relationships, finances, work and even the law. However, by recognizing the warning signs of an alcohol...
Alcohol definitely affects the brain, report researchers at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). Side effects can be apparent after only a few drinks. Immediate side effects of drinking alcohol can include blurred...
The Center for Substance Abuse Research at the University of Maryland states that benzodiazepines are a commonly prescribed depressant, which reduce the amount of function in the central nervous system, causing a relaxing feeling. Benzodiazepines,...
Addiction to cocaine, marijuana, heroin, stimulants and other drugs causes serious side effects and can be devastating. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, there were more than 1 million drug-related emergency room visits in 2006....
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that in 2007, 8 percent of people over the age of 12 in the United States used illicit drugs. Both drugs and alcohol affect the brain as soon as a person uses them, altering neurotransmitter...
Depressants are a broad category of drugs that slow down the central nervous system. They have both legal and illegal uses. Unlike other potential drugs of abuse, they rarely come from illicit laboratories. Instead, prescription medications make...
Anxiety medications treat symptoms of severe anxiety such as those found in anxiety disorders; however, Helpguide.org notes that anxiety medications will not treat the cause of the anxiety, and, for the best results, medication should be combined...
Alcohol is a beverage consumed for its mood-altering effects. It acts as a central nervous system depressant and is available in many forms, such as wine, beer, liquor, champagne and flavored drinks. While occasional use is relatively harmless...
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, is a degenerative condition that systematically destroys the neurons responsible for voluntary movement, according to National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. There are an estimated 5,000...
The 2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health indicates 20.1 million Americans currently use illicit drugs. This number includes people using prescription drugs for non-medicinal purposes. The kinds of drugs people abuse are grouped into...
Diabetes is a major health problem that can lead to long term complications. Speedy recognition of the disease is imperative to ensure a positive quality of life for those who have this condition. With proper study of the symptoms of diabetes,...
Mothers are often concerned about the development of their children and try to find new ways of interacting with them. Nonverbal communication, commonly described as "body language," can convey a range of emotions and meanings to children of any...
In the year 2006, 22,073 people died from alcohol-related issues, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This number excludes those who were victims of homicide or accidents. The influence that alcohol exerts over the human...
Ask a group of people how they feel on any given day and you're likely to hear one answer: exhausted. In fact, a study commissioned in 2007 by Legal & General reported that 42% of 5000 survey respondents said that exhaustion is their biggest...
Autism, also called autism spectrum disorder, refers to a group of developmental disorders that affects about one out of every 150 children in the United States, according to certified nutritional consultant Phyllis Balch, author of "Prescription...
Addiction is a physical and psychological dependence on certain substances or prescription medication. An individual who struggles with addiction has a difficult time controlling the amount of the substance he uses even if the addiction effects...
Ativan, or lorazepam, is a type of sedative used to treat depression and different types of anxiety disorders. Ativan is from the drug family classification of benzodiazepines. This drug can only be prescribed by a physician and taken only as...
Boxing has long been a popular sport. Today, boxing champions remain prominent celebrities and tens of thousands of fans crowd arenas or watch boxing matches on television. However, there are a number of serious health risks involved with boxing....
People with generalized anxiety disorder may experience constant, obsessive worry, insomnia, nausea, increased heart rate and numerous other symptoms that can turn even the most basic tasks into challenging ordeals. Chronic anxiety disrupts a...
Alcoholism can have major effects on the people who must interact with the alcoholic. The alcoholic has a dependency that adversely affects behavior and social functioning. It also negatively effects the body, increasing the risk of having a...
Drug and alcohol abuse is a problem facing all ages, leading to serious physical and mental health problems. There is a fine line between abuse and addiction, and it is important to recognize the symptoms of abuse, in order to ask for help or...
The probability that your teen will be exposed to drugs during adolescence is very high, and based on statistics from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, there is also a good chance your teen will try them. There are several things about...
The myelin sheath is a fatty layer that protects nerve cells, extending to cover the nerve throughout its length, except in small, unmyelinated gaps known as the nodes of Ranvier. Myelin aids in accelerating the speed at which an impulse travels...
Seizures occur when a group of nerves in the brain suddenly produce a surge of electrochemical impulses. This surge in brain activity interrupts normal functions resulting in symptoms thatoften mimic a stroke. A stroke, also a neurological event,...
The American Heart Association recommends eating at least two 3.5 oz. servings of fatty fish per week to meet the recommended intake of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are essential fatty acids that help reduce inflammation, which may in...
